West Main in, 2012
Oblong’s story
174 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1958.
- 1852Oblong is settled
OblongIL
A town of 1,352, settled in 1852.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,352
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$127K
+4.1% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
38.7
years
Jobs based here
442
A commuter town
Is Oblong a good place to live?
Oblong’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for civic life; its weakest is a D for incomes. On cost of living, just 41 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns do better. Oblong has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Oblong stand out
Where Oblong beats most towns.
Typical home value
Oblong$127K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA+
1.8 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 97% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Oblong4.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IL town3.4
Civic lifeA−
30% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Illinois town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Small town
1,352 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Oblong grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Oblong is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income$58K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →HealthCrawford Memorial Hospital 8.7 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsBehind 65% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 3.5% of households have no car; 5.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC−Open →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.7; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Oblong: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oblong, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOblong water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Oblong’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCrawford County ClerkCrawford County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6244962449 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Oblong.
HousingCost of living grade A+
Oblong stands out in Illinois and nationally: the median rent there is lower
Oblong’s median rent is $542 a month, below both Illinois’ towns ($1,129 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). The typical Oblong home is worth about $127,000, up 4.1% in a year, 57% below the Illinois typical home.
$127KZillow home value
| Oblong | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $542 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Oblong$127K
Illinois$296K
+4.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About one in three of Oblong’s working residents commute to Robinson
Most working residents leave Oblong for work: only 13% work in town. Oblong’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, where Illinois’ towns sit at 26 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Since 2013, Oblong has added 132 jobs, to 442 in 2023.
13%work in town
| Oblong | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Oblong13%
Robinson31%
Robinson Township7%
Oblong Township2%
Mattoon2%
10 mi
median commute distance
442
jobs based in Oblong
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Oblong has four seasons and pleasant summers
Oblong has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Oblong is 87°F.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring44–65°
Summer64–85°
Fall45–67°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 13
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC
Residents of Oblong are less healthy than 65% of U.S. towns
Oblong beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 40% of adults have high blood pressure in Oblong.
35%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Oblong | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better21 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Oblong | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.8% | 75.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 6.3% |
Crawford Memorial Hospital
8.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Oblong faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Oblong
Oblong's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. Oblong’s property crime rate is 1.5 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Oblong | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Oblong0
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Oblong1.5
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 694 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Oblong Park | — | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Oblong
20pages on Oblong
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 65% of IL districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than IL on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$127K typical home · up 4.1% in a yearWork & commuteD$58K median household income · 442 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Oblong; the nearest are
Illinois Eastern Community CollegesCommunity college · Public · Olney21 mi$5,260 in-state tuitionVincennes UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Vincennes, IN30.2 mi$7,126 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Oblong residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
87% of working residents leave Oblong for work
Where Oblong’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
442jobs based in Oblong
13%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Oblong
Village in Illinois, United States
Oblong is a village in Crawford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,466 at the 2010 census, and then was later recorded to be 1,371 in the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1883
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 512 ft
- ZIP code
- 62449
Questions about Oblong
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Oblong, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.